A Natural, Nautical Wedding at The Inn at Bay Harbor in Bay Harbor, Michigan

Erin (30 and a teacher) and Matthew (30 and in sales) were introduced through a mutual friend at a bar in their hometown in Arizona. After dating for a little while, Matthew proposed on the Fourth of July on a beach while vacationing in Lake Michigan. "From the moment of the proposal in Northern Michigan, we knew we wanted to have a destination wedding in this special place where we have vacationed with family and as a couple for the past five years," Erin explains. As a result, they got married at The Inn at Bay Harbor, a waterfront hotel with a stunning view of Lake Michigan, in Bay Harbor, Michigan. Inspired by a modern vintage look, Erin wore a strapless, tea-length wedding dress, which she paired with a string of pearls and a birdcage veil. The wedding party dressed in nautical shades of tan, navy, and white, and the groomsmen even wore navy boat shoes to complement the theme. Coral floral arrangements provided a burst of color to the wedding style and decor. In order to combine elements from both their home of Phoenix and their wedding destination of Michigan, Erin and Matthew had natural-looking centerpieces incorporating both southwestern succulents and Upper Peninsula birch wood. The wedding cake had the same natural feel, decorated to match the birch wood decor. Erin and Matthew incorporated plenty of personal elements, as well. Erin tied pictures of her grandparents to her bouquet, displayed her great grandfather's candelabra on the escort table, and hung her and Matthew's baby photos to the backs of the chairs at the sweetheart table. "A lot of love was put into planning this wedding, and it was definitely a team effort," Erin says.